Our Uncle, Our Friend
by theblindwriter95
Summary: In memory of Jack Riley. Years after the events of On Their Own, Angelica and Madison Pickles, now teenagers, visit the man who helped them through their traumatized childhood memories and beyond while he's in a mindset of grieving.


Our Uncle, Our Friend

Summary: In memory of Jack Riley. Years after the events of On Their Own, Angelica and Madison Pickles, now teenagers, visit the man who helped them through their traumatized childhood memories and beyond while he's in a mindset of grieving.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original Rugrats characters or Madison who belongs to a friend.

Author's Note: While I didn't grow up with Jack Riley like I did with Chuckie's original voice actress or Tommy's voice actress E.G. Daily, to me he'll always be Stu Pickles. No matter what.

"Hello?" Sixteen year old Angelica Pickles asked as she heard the phone in her room ring.

"Angelica! Thank goodness I caught you!" Didi exclaimed in a rush. "You know that Dil's birthday is coming up right?"

"Yes. I remember." Angelica bit her lip as held back tears. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes. It's your Uncle Stu," Didi explained with a bit of anxiety in her voice. "He seems down lately. Not eating just sleeping and watching TV."

"Oh dear. Don't worry Aunt Didi. I'll let Mom know and Madison and I will come see you."

"Thank you dear. See you soon."

Angelica hung up her phone before telling Charlotte and Madison the news as she stood towards the front door.

"Can I go with Angelica please Mom?!" Madison begged once she had been given the news.

Charlotte sighed, nodding. "Okay Madison but be careful."

"Mom I'll be okay. I have Olaf with me."

"You're bringing Olaf?" Angelica asked as her younger sister Madison brought out a well loved snowman plush.

"It was Uncle Stu's first Christmas gift to me. Since well you know with our monster of a father and everything," the fifteen year old replied as she rubbed her damaged left ear that she had unfortunately received twelve years before. "I'll never understand how you can hear with both ears Angel."

Angelica chuckled at her nickname as her sister had given it to her eleven years before. "It's just something that I'm used to." She sadly sighed, checking her watch. "We better get going. Aunt Didi will be anxious if we don't come."

"Shotgun!" Madison cried, her dyed red hair flying in the wind as she got inside her sister's white car that the naturally born blonde had just gotten two weeks before as a present from fellow officer and friend Danny Mills.

"My car, my radio which means I picks the music!" Angelica shouted after her before hearing a small groan from the other side of the car.

Angelica chuckled to herself, smiling softly. A year ago her father from hell was beaten to where he was paralyzed in prison by his cellmates. Of course she didn't about that for Madison had suffered dearly because of Drew. Instead her heart went out to her uncle.

She noticed that while he was in perfect shape for a man his age, Stu unfortunately was never the same after Dil's death months before.

Dil was eight and while it crushed her heart to pieces, Angelica never knew him well like she did with Stu.

The house was silent except for cartoons blaring in the background as Angelica and Madison went inside.

"Angelica! Madison! Stu's been waiting to see you!" Didi greeted with a soft smile as she led them into the kitchen.

Angelica? Maddie?" Stu's voice asked, almost tired like as Madison was the first to approach him.

"Uncle Stu, what happened to Dil wasn't your fault," Madison assured him as she placed Olaf on the table. "I know Daddy never liked your inventions but I've always had."

Stu hugged the toy, his eyebrows rose in confusion. "Maddie thank you but why?"

"Because you gave Olaf to me nine years ago," Madison explained as she gave him the well loved toy. " Now I want you to have him. Please Uncle Stu?"

"Madison that's very sweet but I can't keep Olaf as you love him so much." Stu sighed, giving her back the snowman. "I want you to keep him to remember me by okay?"

Madison hugged her uncle as she nodded, trying to control the tears in her eyes. "I will Uncle Stu."

She took Olaf away as Angelica came forward, her eyes barely glancing away from her uncle's face.

He looked older than he was and it broke her heart.

"U-Uncle S-Stu p-please d-don't d-die." Angelica felt tears in her eyes. "We need you. You're our uncle and our friend."

"I know Angelica," Stu said softly," stroking her hair. "I'll try to be around as long as I can."

Angelica smiled, hugging him gently. "Thanks Uncle Stu."

Stu smiled gently at her, a real smile since Dil's death. "Madison's right. it wasn't my fault that Dil passed on. I guess God had other plans for Dil huh?"

"I think so." Angelica sighed, glanced at the floor. " I just wish me and Madison could have gotten to know Dil too."

"I often dream about how life would've been like if my older brother hadn't shown his true colors," Stu admitted with a chuckle. "But then again your mother would be working all the time and you two would have been coming over a lot too."

Tommy came in the room suddenly as the show he was watching was on commercials. "Hey Dad."

Stu brightened up for the first time in months. "Tommy! It's good to see you!"

"Dad?" Tommy questioned, a little confused. "What's going on?"

"Stu what is it?" Didi asked, having not seen her husband this happy in months.

"Didi get the grill ready and call everyone over. We're celebrating what should have been Dil's ninth birthday!" Stu exclaimed as he ran up the stairs. "I have to shower and shave and go buy the meat and drinks!"

Madison was confused as she carried Olaf in her arms. "Angelica was that Uncle Stu I just saw running up the stairs?"

Angelica smiled, taking Olaf from her sister. "Yes it was."

"Mine!" Madison cried, jumping up for her snowman.

"Not anymore sis!"

"Angel! Give Olaf back right now!"

Angelica obeyed, giving back her sister's beloved toy. "You're just like me aren't you?"

Who else could I be?" Madison asked with a giggle.

"Dad when can we play catch?" Tommy asked, enjoying the fact that his father was himself again.

"Tomorrow Tommy because your old man isn't going away anytime soon." Stu grinned at his son before turning to his youngest niece. "Madison want to come and help me shop?"

Madison nodded as she hugged Olaf close. "Olaf too?"

"Yes Olaf too Madison."

Madison squealed as she hugged her uncle, taking his hand as Angelica turned to Tommy.

"It's strange. I knew Maddie liked helping others but I never thought she would-"

"Help Dad?" Tommy interrupted with a smirk.

"Yes as I have to say that Uncle Stu doesn't look tired anymore."

"He sounded happier. And like his old self."

Angelica smiled, messing up her cousin's hair. "He sure is."

…

"Uncle Stu what are we buying again?" Madison asked as she pulled the shopping cart over to the soda aisle.

"Meat and drinks," Stu answered, putting a box of soda in the cart where Olaf was sitting.

Madison glanced around before she gulped. "Uncle Stu I think we should leave."

"What's the matter Madison?"

"Madison about time I caught you!" Drew grinned as he grabbed Olaf from the shopping cart. " Oh still playing with dolls I see?"

"Drew put Olaf down!" Stu yelled, grabbing for the snowman. " That's Madison's as I gave it to her!"

"Daddy! H-How did you get out?" Madison asked as her legs began to shake.

"Good behavior," Drew explained with a wicked smile.

"Olaf! no! He's mine! Uncle Stu gave him to me!"

Stu heard Madison's cries as he stood in front of her. "Drew give Madison back Olaf now."

Draw smirked, holding the snowman plush by the arm. "Why little bro! I thought you had passed on!'"

"As long as you're around I'm not leaving!" Stu hissed as Madison hid behind him. "Security! Take my brother Drew away as he isn't supposed to be near ten feet of my niece Madison!'"

"Olaf!" Madison cried as she watched her father being wheeled away by security. "Daddy took him from me!"

"No he didn't." Stu chuckled, presenting his niece with an unharmed Olaf. "I stole it from him."

Madison was nearly in tears as she hugged her uncle before they continued their shopping trip with Olaf in Madison's arms.

…

Days later after the Olaf incident, Madison was still a little shaken as she joined her uncle at the picnic table.

Around her surrounded adorns of what Dil had liked as she sighed, digging into her cup of water.

She couldn't ruin Dil's day by thinking of Drew. That wouldn't had felt right as she heard Angelica and Tammy laughing.

She wouldn't admit it but she liked Tammy more as a friend since their preschool days. Unfortunately she hid her feelings, terrified of being judged.

"Madison is everything okay?" Kimi asked, standing beside her. "You seem kind of sad."

"I'm just thinking about Dil. I wish Angelica and I knew him more," Madison lied, not wanting to say the real reason.

Thankfully the Japanese American girl had brought it, allowing Madison more time to herself before Stu tapped her on her shoulder.

"Madison everything okay?" Stu asked as he handed her a hotdog. "You seem quiet."

Madison took a small bite of her hotdog before she frowned. "What if Daddy tries to get me and Olaf again?"

Charlotte gasped, hearing the news in worry. "What? Madison how come you never told me about your ex father?"

"You alright Mad?" Tammy asked as Madison tried not to blush in front of everyone.

"What did he tell you sweetheart?" Danny asked, joining his daughter.

"H-He told me he got out for good behavior," Madison sniffed as she began to cry. "I'm sorry Uncle Stu! This is Dil's day, not mine."

"Madison I don't want to hear that kind of talk from you young lady!" Stu scolded, crossing his arms. "I know this is Dil's day but he would have wanted to share this day with you too Madison. "

"Really Uncle Stu?"

"Yes honey."

"Stu! Tommy wants to talk to you inside!" Didi yelled from as she came outside and sat down with Lucy Carmichael and her youngest daughter Susie.

"Coming Deed!" Stu kissed Madison's cheek. "I'll be back sweetheart."

Stu walked inside as Tommy stood in front of him, holding the invention that had failed at the time of Dil's death.

"I fixed it as best as I could," he admitted softly. "I apologize if it brings back memories of when Dil died."

"Tommy we can fix this together." Stu smiled as he took his son's hand. " Come with me to the basement."

"Really Dad?"

"Yes Champ."

Together father and son went down to the basement to fix the invention that had made Stu quiet after Dil's death as Madison later joined them, thankful to had helped her uncle get back to his old self.


End file.
